Check out the recaps for SOL field hockey teams in action Wednesday. Wissahickon/Quakertown photos courtesy of Kim Supko. Check back for a gallery of photos: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/f435525856
SOL Patriot Division
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH 2, COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 1 (OT)
One team’s joy is another team’s sorrow, and that was certainly the case in Wednesday’s rivalry battle between the neighboring schools.
With 3:15 remaining in overtime, Charlotte Ondria turned a pass from Maddy Mela into a goal, giving the Indians the dramatic win in Wednesday’s thriller.
“Maddy got the ball at midfield, and it was a 1v1 with the defender, and she hit the ball just a little further – she just had this hunger and grit in her and beat out the defender,” Rock North coach Jules Singer said of the dramatic ending. “Maddy went into the circle, took a shot, and the keeper saved it. Instead of going right back into the keeper’s pads, she passed it off to our other forward, Charlotte Ondria, who was on post, and she tapped it in.
“It was very exciting. Obviously, it’s always a conference rival, so it’s always an exciting win.”
Making the win especially sweet was the fact that it came on the Hawks’ Senior Night.
“They played for the seniors, they played for each other, and they were smiling ear to ear at the end of the game,” Singer said. “It was a very well-deserved win. It was a very hungry, gritty win. It was a complete team effort.”
It was the first time Rock North played in an overtime game this season.
“They just really brought it,” Singer said. “
After the two teams battled to a scoreless tie at the half, Rock South got on the scoreboard first in the third quarter to go on top 1-0, and it took a goal by Maddy Mela (Julie Ondria assist) midway through the fourth quarter to extend the game into overtime.
“As soon as we got that one goal, I just saw that momentum shift,” Singer said. “It was a confidence they had. They were in it, they were ready to get another goal and the game.
“That goal gave them confidence. They needed that goal. They were playing really well, and South played a phenomenal game. It was very much the middle of the field.
“It wasn’t dominated by one side or the other. Kelly Mason is doing an awesome job with her team, and they really brought it. When (our players) don’t have that many opportunities, sometimes it will get in their heads when they don’t have success in the circle, so I think they just needed that goal.”
The Indians’ coach said she has been preaching the same message to her players this year, and on Wednesday, they heeded her advice.
“I think one of the biggest things during one of the quarter huddles…the girls were big on – if they were to score first, our body language – we cannot be disappointed in ourselves. We have to be ready, we have to be ready to get a goal,” Singer said. “That’s what I’ve been preaching all season is their body language and not letting one goal become multiple, multiple goals in their head.
“Sometimes it happens, and we have to readjust and reorganize, and then we have to go and get another goal and have that be hunger instead of disappointment. I think they really did that today. The fact that they’re taking what I’ve been telling them – even in a huddle to pump each other up to apply it, it means a lot. The girls just played a phenomenal, phenomenal game.”
Listening to Singer tell it, this was the ultimate team effort.
“I can name every single person on the field – they stepped up in any way, shape or form,” Singer said. “But Sierra Kim is a name that comes to mind. She was playing all over the field. I started her at center back and then I moved her to defensive mid. She did a great job.
“Kailyn Smith did a great job, Brynn Bogle did great distributing the ball, Megan Reichenbach did great on some of the runs and just her hustle. Lily King and Kaitlyn McCoy both stepped up in their own ways as well. Everyone played well. It was a complete, complete, complete team effort. I can’t pinpoint one or two girls on the team. It was all 11 that deserve a shoutout.”
On the other side of the field, there was disappointment, but coach Kelly Mason acknowledged the experience should serve her young team well.
“This was a heartbreaker for sure,” the Rock South coach said. “The energy on our side was so high from both our bench and our field play. Our lack of experience in situations like this got the best of us. Despite the loss it was a good showing.
“Junior captains Sarah and Maria Freeman played their usual intense game in the middle of the field. Freshman Mia Schink carried the ball nicely down the field for us. Senior captain Clare Morgan played solid defense, and goalie Peyton Wright kept us in the game. It was a great experience for my younger players to deal with the pressure of a close game, and that’s the best thing we can take from this.”
Council Rock North (10-6, 8-6 SOL) will travel to Neshaminy on Friday, and Council Rock South (4-11, 4-10) will be on the road at Pennsbury on Friday.
Council Rock South 0-0-1-0-0 1
Council Rock North 0-0-0-1-1 2
PENNSBURY 1, BENSALEM 0
(Article provided by Pennsbury field hockey)
Lights! Camera! Action!
Those three words are a great sum of the atmosphere at tonight’s game between the Falcons and the Bensalem Owls. It was quite the lead up to this special event – Pennsbury’s Senior Night game. After a multitude of time and location changes due to the new track being put down in the stadium, the PHS seniors were gifted their special night at home on their turf to celebrate and be honored.
Coach Traci Curtis explains, “Up until just a day or two ago, we were planning to play the game off site, and before that, we were potentially going to play the game on our old grass field. So many scenarios were flying around, but it ended up working out.
“We all want to thank our athletic director, administration, and everyone involved in helping to get us this game on our turf. It meant a lot to our graduating players and our whole hockey family to be able to have senior night on our new turf that has played a significant role in our season – we are just feeling like we can call it our home.”
Curtis continues, “It was a beautiful fall night under the lights, and the excitement from the players was bouncing off of every surface. Coming off of a team dinner last night and the hype surrounding this moment (that marks the beginning of the end for those 12th graders) is sometimes too overwhelming. Lots of cameras, selfies from every angle, and a haphazard, shortened warmup creates the perfect storm of unpreparedness. The JV set the tone with a great win and awesome performance, so we were all extra pumped pregame.”
Curtis has been around long enough to know that as amazing as senior nights are, they can also be a distraction that places obstacles in the way of the task at hand.
“Bensalem always shows up the second time with newfound strength and skill,” the Falcons’ coach said. “They sneak up on you and force you to adjust your game in real time. They came ready to fight tonight and that they did.”
The Falcons dominated in possession, shots on goal and penalty corners, but the Owls’ packed defense made a ton of strong stops and denied the orange and black over and over.
“We were coming on strong, moving the ball well, and using speed, but we just could not penetrate and finish in the circle,” Curtis said with frustration. “We were making some mistakes at significant moments that we shouldn’t be making at this point in the season, and those things will be what keeps us from succeeding. It doesn’t matter what happened or why it happened, we just need to do better.”
Bensalem was able to stop PHS on eleven penalty corner opportunities. They were making defensive saves, using solid sticks in the circle to stop shots, and just leaving their heart on the field. The Falcons returned the effort denying just as much in their defensive end. Goalie Kayla Shaffer faced only a few shots on goal, but every stop she made was a game saver. The score was tied at zeros going into the fourth quarter, and the action was continuing to amp up!
A little less than halfway through the final quarter, Pennsbury had another offensive push into the circle, and Chelsea Todd got her stick on the ball in a scuffle in front of the cage and nudged it past the goalie. That would stand as the only goal of the game.
“The seniors started and finished the game tonight with heart, and that helped us to squeak out this win,” said Curtis of her nine graduating players. “We had the edge with the atmosphere, which compensated for the craziness of the evening’s events (which included the PHS freshmen singing the National Anthem).
“It is about the moment and acknowledging the significance of this athletic rite of passage – endings are often tricky to navigate, but it’s all the small things that get you to the ending that matters most. That’s the message for our team right now – we have two more chances – what we do with those chances is up to us. Congratulations to our seniors: Gabby Darling, Riley Henderson, Allison Pakula, Mia Popovich, Rylie Borgman, Chelsea Todd, Lily Abraham, Kaylin Flannery, and Kayla Shaffer. May you always RAISE THE BAR along your journey.”
Pennsbury will host Council Rock South on Friday and then travel to Council Rock North on Tuesday for their last regular season contest.
(Article provided by Bensalem field hockey)
What a great game!
“I’ve never had that much fun on a field hockey field,” Bensalem coach Gary Kubik said. “As far as I’m concerned, both teams should get a win for that one. It was a defensive battle all the way through. I was rolling lines in and out to no avail.
“Pennsbury silenced every scream of ours, but we kept on screaming. Up and down the field all night. Congratulations to everyone that played in that game, coached in that game, or watched it from the stands. We’ll probably remember that one for a long time. Especially all of the seniors from both teams.”
All four of Bensalem’s seniors, Kaitlyn Higgins, Megan Klein, Kaila DeWees, and Ryan Frey, played phenomenally, and Pennsbury’s as well. They should all be able to look back on that game with a smile in the years to come. Bensalem’s juniors played a critical role in the game as well. Forward Erin Lendzinski, midfielders Giuliana Pasquarella, Haley Groves, McKenna White, defenders Paige Schiefer, Maggie McLaughlin, Casey Bush, Olivia Cervantes all played their best games of the year. Sophomores Chloe Masciantonio and Lucciana Krecko worked hard every minute, and freshmen Veronica Lennon and Marianny Bisono completely filled out a lineup that was starting to overflow.
We used two goalkeepers tonight – juniors Brianna Swanson and Emily Adams. Both played extremely well, keeping Pennsbury’s offense off the board until halfway through the fourth quarter. It’s a shame this game had to end the way that it did on a controversial goal with little time remaining, but we kept fighting until the end. But so did Pennsbury.
“I’m so proud of the way we played these last two weeks,” Kubik said. “We’re starting to believe we can play with anybody, and once the belief is there, the results should follow.
“Hats off to Pennsbury’s coaches, players, and fans. They know how to send their seniors off. What a great night for them. Good luck to the seniors from both teams tonight. Go do good in the world.”
Pennsbury (6-10, 4-10 SOL) will host Council Rock South Friday at 3 p.m., and Bensalem (2-13, 1-13) will host St. Hubert’s in a non-league game Thursday.
Bensalem 0-0-0-0 0
Pennsbury 0-0-0-1 1
NESHAMINY 8, HARRY S TRUMAN 0
Maddy Shtino connected on a hat trick in a contest that saw the Redskins open up a 3-0 lead after one quarter on their way to the decisive win. The win clinched at least a share of the division title for the Redskins, who have two league games remaining.
Forty seconds into the game, Hannah Stanton scored with a Keira Loftus assist, and later in the quarter, Loftus scored with a Paige Comer assist. Shtino added an unassisted goal for the Redskins’ early three-goal advantage.
Shtino scored the lone goal of the second quarter, and the Redskins took a 4-0 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, Shtino wrapped up her hat trick, connecting on her third goal with an Olivia Lobecker assist, and then it was Cait Colyar scoring an unassisted goal for a 6-0 advantage after three quarters.
Norah Saloky and Ellie Miller each added an unassisted goal in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.
Neshaminy (11-5, 12-4 SOL) will host Council Rock North on Friday, and Harry S Truman (0-16, 0-14) will travel to Council Rock South on Tuesday.
Neshaminy 3-1-2-2 8
Harry S Truman 0-0-0-0 0
SOL Colonial Division
NORTH PENN 5, SOUDERTON 2
Grace McGeehan and her fellow seniors had a little score to settle on Wednesday night.
Not only had the Knights been forced to settle for a 1-1 tie in the initial meeting between the two teams when the game was halted at halftime for lightening, they also had never beaten Souderton in seven straight games.
“We knew it was a game we could have won,” McGeehan said of the first meeting. “Definitely today we were really excited to play them. Especially, we were talking about how no one on this team had ever beaten Souderton. This is the first time we’ve done that.”
Wednesday’s win brought an end to a 10-game losing streak that began well before any of this year’s squad put on a North Penn uniform. Prior to Wednesday’s win, the Knights last defeated Souderton on Oct. 23, 2017, and interestingly, it was by an identical 5-2 score.
“We also found out today that our team beat the record for the number of goals scored for North Penn field hockey,” said McGeehan, whose hat trick led the Knights Wednesday. “So, everything that went into tonight – we were so excited about it. It was really fun.”
With Wednesday’s five-goal output, the Knights have now scored 93 goals – the most in Shannon McCracken’s 12 years at the helm. They are averaging 5.8 goals a game.
“I just think we’re all so connected, and everybody wants it so bad,” McGeehan said. “Nobody is greedy or takes the ball themselves. Everyone wants to pass it around to whoever has the best shot. I think we all really want it.”
According to McCracken, the Knights previous mark in 2021 was 88 goals, which was for an entire season and included two district playoff games.
“This is a team I could tell that to because that just made them more hungry,” the Knights’ coach said. “I was watching them score all these goals, and I thought – let me look back because I keep a season recap. I was looking back and saw 88, 77, 73, and I thought, ‘Wow, these kids are going to do something special this year.’
“This team just has a lot of team chemistry. They support each other on and off the field. They’ve bought into that they’re only as strong as the team is, and they’re not going to find success with individual play. They love to pass to each other, they love to cheer each other on offensively and defensively, they have fun on the bus, they have fun at practice. They’re a really great group.”
In Wednesday’s contest, the Knights fell behind 1-0 when Tatum Andrews scored with a Julia Blair assist two minutes into the game. It took all of two minutes for the Knights to get that goal back when McGeehan scored with a Laura Albert assist on a penalty corner.
“Honestly, a lot of the games that we’ve played – often the other team gets the first goal or stays with us the first half,” McGeehan said. “In the second half, I think we really get hungry – we take off, and we keep scoring.”
“It was the second time that happened this week,” McCracken said of falling behind early. “It gives me gray hair, but they seem to be cool about it, and that’s key – answering back. We answered back two minutes after their first goal.”
Four minutes into the second quarter, Erika Pickford scored an unassisted goal to give the Knights a lead they would not lose. Pickford’s second goal later in the quarter sent North Penn into halftime with a 3-1 lead.
Three minutes into the second half, Souderton senior Ashley Paturzo scored with a Gianna Radcliffe assist, trimming the Knights’ lead to one, but with 3:53 remaining in the frame, McGeehan scored an unassisted goal, and the senior captain followed that with another goal with just a minute remaining in the quarter for the 5-2 final.
“The second quarter was big for us because we scored two,” McCracken said. “The third quarter, they came out and scored one very quickly, so it was a 3-2 game, and then we scored two at the end of the third quarter.
“That’s where Grace (McGeehan) comes into play. Grace is a special kid that can put the team on her back or just rise to a big moment. She is dynamic, she’s fun to watch – the way she turns on the field with the ball and her speed. She took one down to the top of the circle and just cranked a shot – and you heard the backboard.”
The Knights coach also lauded the play of her midfield in the win.
“A key to tonight’s win was the midfield – Caleigh Sperling, Laura Albert, Maddie Brown and Ashley Barwis,” McCracken said. “They really were smart in our counterattack tonight, they got back on defense well, and they made big plays. They were feeding our forwards nice passes.
“We got a lot of corners tonight. We had 19 corners. I would have liked to have seen us score on a few more, but I think one of the factors is – our field is faster, and theirs is a little bit slower, and I think it became a little bit of a challenge that we weren’t getting that push on the ball we needed, but we were forcing a lot of fouls, which is exciting.”
There’s no mistaking – this is an explosive North Penn squad, and the players are enjoying every minute of it.
“Even when we lost to CB West 6-8, we were all disappointed that we lost, but we were saying – that was such a crazy game,” McGeehan said. “It was such high intensity – one goal after another. It was a lot of fun.”
The Knights’ dominance in Wednesday’s win is underscored by their 19-2 advantage in penalty corners.
“North Penn was simply a better team than we were tonight,” Souderton coach Sue Casciato said. “We didn’t match up very well with them physically or in game experience.
“Their passing game is very strong, and their basic skills are sound. We especially struggled in our defensive circle. There are areas we’ll need to improve on before our next game.”
McCracken credited the effort of the Indians, who saw their eight-game winning streak snapped.
“Sue’s a great coach – she has always had good teams,” McCracken said. “They had a never-give-up attitude. They were putting pressure on us in the fourth quarter. It was a solid win.
“Our division is so strong. Right now all the teams in our division are in contention for playoffs. Every game is not easy.”
North Penn (12-3-1, 10-3-1 SOL) will host Central Bucks South on Friday (7 p.m.), and Souderton (8-6-1, 8-4-1) will host Central Bucks East on Friday at 5 p.m.
North Penn 1-2-2-0 5
Souderton 1-0-1-0 2
CENTRAL BUCKS EAST 1, PENNRIDGE 0
Sydney Lafferty five minutes into the fourth quarter, broke a scoreless tie and propelled the Patriots to the hard-fought win.
“The game was total back and forth,” East coach Emma Rosenthal said. “Both goalkeepers had amazing games and continued to turn away shots to keep it locked and scoreless.
“Sydney Lafferty was able to squeak it into the goal on a scuffle in front of the cage with 9:40 left in the fourth.”
Pennridge goalie Molly Bross had something to do with the Patriots’ inability to find the cage, recording nine saves.
“Tonight was a battle from the beginning with both defenses and goalies playing tough and shutting down scoring chances,” Pennridge coach Becky Spahr said. “I was really impressed with our midfield and their ability transition from defense to offense. Their intensity and work rate set the tempo for our team.
“We were able to cause corners, but East’s (defensive penalty corner) unit played well and shut down our corner options that are normally successful. We adjusted a bit but couldn’t make the connections we needed to find the back of the cage.”
Central Bucks East (12-4, 11-3 SOL) will travel to Souderton on Friday for a 5 p.m. game, and Pennridge (6-9, 5-8) will be on the road at Central Bucks West on Friday (7 p.m.).
Pennridge 0-0-0-0 0
Central Bucks East 0-0-0-1 1
CENTRAL BUCKS WEST 3, CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH 0
Eve Damsker sparked the Bucks’ offense, scoring all three of her team’s goals and propelling the Bucks to a win that avenged a 2-1 overtime loss to CB South earlier this season. With the win, West claims at least a share of the SOL Colonial Division title.
“Credit to CB South coach and team – they are fundamentally sound and play hard,” West coach David DeAngelis said. “We felt that we left too much on the pitch during our earlier match against South (1-2 OT loss).
“Our student-athletes were locked in this week during training; they came in well prepared and ready to compete. We were able to create player-space within a congested zone and finish. Eve (Damsker) well positioned herself and hit the back of the cage for all three of our goals – (despite) being two players down at the time.”
The fun started for Damsker less than two minutes into the opening quarter when she redirected a corner shot by Calista Boos into the cage for a 1-0 lead. Damsker added an unassisted goal in the second quarter to send the Bucks into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
In the third quarter, Damsker completed her hat trick, scoring in a scrum in front of the cage for the 3-0 final.
“We are very pleased with how our student-athletes continue to progress collectively late into the season and in league play,” DeAngelis said. “It was a complete and thorough team effort throughout the 60 minutes. We were able to connect, transition and move the ball with purpose and intent for the majority of the match.”
The Bucks’ defense stymied the Titans’ attack, limiting them to just one shot on goal. The Bucks had a 16-2 advantage in penalty corners.
“CB West is a very strong, fast and furious team,” South coach Kelli Chioffe said. “I knew going into today’s game that it was going to be a challenge, for sure, especially since we gave them their first and only loss just a few weeks ago.
“I am proud of the girls for how hard they fought and how they had to adjust to a different setup. We held them to only one goal per quarter and zero in the final quarter. Players that stepped up on defense today were Sam Thomas, Peyton Ostroff, Kate Porter, Kelly Hemsley, Emma Kraft, Ella Haag and Tessa Walls. We will continue to work hard at practice as we look to play North Penn this Friday night.”
Central Bucks West (15-1, 13-1 SOL) will host Pennridge on Friday at 7 p.m., and Central Bucks South (8-7, 8-6) will travel to North Penn for a 7 p.m. game on Friday.
Central Bucks West 1-1-1-0 3
Central Bucks South 0-0-0-0 0
SOL Liberty Division
WISSAHICKON 2, QUAKERTOWN 1
Noelle Koop isn’t a headliner for the Trojans, but the junior midfielder picked the perfect time to score her first goal of the season, connecting during corner play in the
second quarter. Her goal gave the Trojans an early lead in Wednesday’s battle for supremacy in the SOL Liberty, and perhaps more importantly, it gave them confidence.
“That was pretty big,” Koop said. “I haven’t scored at all this season. Being in the right mid position, it’s my job to get it into the circle, but my coaches have been telling me to lift the ball when I get into the circle.
“It was on a corner, and the goalie hit it out and hit it right to me. In that moment, I was like, ‘I need to lift this in.’ I lifted it, and it just bounced in the goal. That’s what I’ve been working towards. I think it gave us a lot of confidence. We knew we had to keep our heads in check and not get too cocky about it, but it definitely gave us the push we needed to keep moving forward and to come out strong the rest of the game.”
Koop’s goal (Riley Ball assist) came with 9:19 remaining in the second quarter.
“She’s amazing – Noelle’s a ball handler, she’s the one that sends the ball into the circle to start our attack, so she doesn’t get in to score much,” Wissahickon coach Lucy Gil said.
That 1-0 score stood until Quakertown freshman Cassidy Landis scored during corner play to even the score in the third quarter.
“That was a big blow,” Gil said of the Panthers’ goal. “We were hanging in there, and they were pummeling us. It seemed like they had a lot of corners back-to-back, and they got one in.”
With the possibility of overtime looming, Kayla Pak (Carly Lehman assist) scored with 4:21 remaining in regulation, give the Trojans a 2-1 lead they held until the final horn.
“It was very exciting because we weren’t sure how this game was going to go,” Koop said. “We knew we had to come out really strong, and we knew we had the home field advantage, which is really important, and we knew we need to take advantage of that. I think we all played really well.”
“Monday was our Senior Night, which was a big game over Upper Dublin, and we won that (5-2), and I feel that’s what really gave us momentum to get excited for tonight and to come out strong. Also, with the SOL title – we really wanted to win that for the third time in a row, so this was the game to win.”
“This was really big,” Gil said. “It was such a tight game the whole time. It was going back and forth. There was a lot of midfield play. Tensions were high because there was a lot of stake –the tension was palpable.
“Everybody wanted to do well, and both teams played really well.”
Last year, the Trojans rolled to a 16-0 record in league play, finishing 17 points ahead of the second place Abington and Plymouth Whitemarsh. This year, it has been a dogfight with Wissahickon and Quakertown entering the game with identical records in league play.
Thursday’s win gave the Trojans a one-game lead over the Panthers with two games remaining. A win on Friday will give Wissahickon at least a share of its third straight division crown.
“We really had to work for it,” Koop said. “This year, we’re working really hard, especially with players injured and stuff. It’s really important for all of us to put in our full effort.”
Gil had nothing but good things to say about her team’s effort and gave a special shoutout to junior center back Audrey Walsh.
“She took control of the field,” the Trojans’ coach said. “My center midfielder, Faith Jampo, broke her hand, and that was a big loss because she’s really generated a lot of offense for us. I think Audrey has just taken it upon herself to take over and really become that leader right in the middle.
“Audrey also is a big part of our corner defense. Sometimes she flies. She manages that defense really, really well. I don’t have to tell her. She has a lot of vision and sets people where they need to go. She’s a really big piece of our defense. Today she played amazing. She was everywhere – all the way up, all the way back. She did a great job, and it was her birthday.”
Wissahickon goalie Ava Fell was credited with five saves in the win.
Wissahickon (12-3-1, 12-1-1 SOL) will travel to Abington on Friday, and Quakertown (12-3-1, 11-2-1) will be on the road at Hatboro-Horsham on Friday.
Quakertown 0-0-1-0 1
Wissahickon 0-1-0-1 2
PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH 7, HATBORO-HORSHAM 0
Sparked by a hat trick from Ava Matthias, the Colonials notched a convincing win over the visiting Hatters.
“We had a strong passing game, which led to offensive opportunities and a win,” PW coach Charise Halteman said.
Emily Dobrowolski scored on a strong corner shot with 5:43 remaining in the first quarter to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead. They added three goals in the second quarter. Matthias found the cage with her first goal, and a few minutes later, Dobrowolski scored her second. Defender Kasey Johnstone scored her first goal of the season off a shot from the top with two minutes remaining in the quarter to send the Colonials into halftime with a 4-0 lead.
Early in the third quarter, Ella McCarthy finished a great cross from Hadley Blake, and Matthias added a pair of goals, scoring both on rebounds off the goalie’s pads.
Gracie Kerns had two assists on the day.
Carly Spinner and Claire McCallister combined for the shutout in goal.
Plymouth Whitemarsh (9-6, 9-4 SOL) will travel to Upper Dublin on Friday, and Hatboro-Horsham (2-13,2-11) will host Quakertown on Friday.
Hatboro-Horsham 0-0-0-0 0
Plymouth Whitemarsh 1-3-3-0 7
UPPER DUBLIN 2, ABINGTON 0
The Cardinals scored a goal in both the second and third quarters on their way to the division win.
With 5:36 remaining in the first half, Ellison Kullmann turned a pass from Lizzie Tambourino into a goal and a 1-0 lead heading into the intermission.
Three minutes into the third quarter, Olivia Burdo found the cage with an insurance goal, using an assist from Tess Malizia for a goal that gave UD its final margin of victory.
Upper Dublin (9-4-1, 8-4-1 SOL) will host Plymouth Whitemarsh on Friday at 4:45 p.m., and Abington (6-8, 5-7) will host Wissahickon on Friday.
Abington 0-0-0-0 0
Upper Dublin 0-1-1-0 2
SOL Fredom Division
LOWER MORELAND 2, NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY 2 (OT)
Wednesday’s battle of the Lions ended in a draw with neither team able to find the cage in overtime after battling to a 2-2 tie after 60 minutes of action..
The Lions struck first with a goal by freshman Cara Torgan (Bri Rocha assist) with just over five minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
“I could tell by the tone set in the first quarter that Lower Moreland came to play this afternoon,” LM coach Janet Lutter said. “It really just all came together today which makes me so happy for the girls.
“To see them be successful and feel good about themselves is what this is about for me.”
Ava Cozza converted a penalty stroke in the second quarter to send the two teams into halftime deadlocked 1-1.
In the third quarter, Torgan scored her second goal to give Lower Moreland a 2-1 lead heading into the final quarter. With 1:53 remaining in regulation, Morgan Riggione connected for a goal to knot the score.
“We have been working hard and changed our positioning up a bit which really paid off,” Lutter said. “The last time we faced New Hope (a 7-2 loss), we struggled with their penalty corners, but today, our defense shut them down.
“Unfortunately, we were plagued by cards and had 12 minutes of penalties assessed to us. We played the last three minutes of regulation and a good chunk of overtime one player down. Even though everyone was exhausted, they rallied and did not give up.”
LM goalie Meg Halpern had nine saves in the contest.
Lower Moreland (7-8-1, 5-8-1 SOL) will travel to Springfield Township on Friday for a 5 p.m. game, and New Hope-Solebury (10-5-1, 9-5-1) will host William Tennent on Thursday at 7 p.m.
New Hope-Solebury 0-1-0-1-0 2
Lower Moreland 1-0-1-0-0 2
SPRINGFIELD TWP 4, UPPER MORELAND 1
The Spartans celebrated the team’s 14 seniors with a win over the visiting Golden Bears.
“We came out very strong on Senior Night,” Springfield coach Anita Stum said. “There was a great crowd and lots of energy.
“The 14 seniors were ready to take on anyone and everyone tonight. They did a great job.”
Emma Yoder and Norah Conlin each scored a goal in the first quarter. The Spartans took that 2-0 lead into halftime. Melissa Torpey’s goal midway through the third quarter made it a 2-1 game, but Jen Rex answered with a goal for the Spartans. Bella Navo’s goal four minutes into the fourth quarter made it a 4-1 
game.
The Spartans held an advantage in shots (14-4) and penalty corners (16-3).
Springfield goalie Grace Bell was credited with three saves in a win that gives the Spartans a three-point advantage for the top spot in the Freedom Division standings.
Springfield Township (12-3-1, 10-3-1 SOL) will host Lower Moreland on Friday, and Upper Moreland (7-8, 5-8) will host Cheltenham on Friday.
(Article submitted by Upper Moreland field hockey)
The second time playing Springfield, Upper Moreland was looking to play more competitively and make less defensive mistakes. They answered the call and achieved their goal in a hard-fought game.
“Springfield has fantastic stickwork and accurate passing, so we were looking to slow down their game and play more consistent defense in our half of the field,” UM coach Pam Remmey said. “Springfield is also coached to draw a lot of corners, and when they execute them, they pass a lot to move and confuse the defense. We had worked on this in practice to prepare, and it paid off.
“Although the Spartans did score on two corners Cambrie Richmond, Eowyn Stainback, Julia Gallen, Kelly Bates and our goalies held strong throughout the corners. Izzy Duncan was also dominant on defense in the circle at center back and joined the others to make many tackles and force Springfield into difficult situations.”
It was 2-0 at the half, then halfway through the third quarter, UM forced a corner. (Melissa) Torpey passed the ball across the goal and Ava Bailey swept it in for the goal to make it 2-1.
After that, Springfield made the most of their time in the circle, scoring two more goals where UM could not find the net. Springfield put everyone back in the circle when we are pressuring, and it was tough to get through their defense.
“The best thing to see tonight was how we really played as a team,” Remmey said. “This team’s hard work in practice is really starting to pay off in games. We communicated well, had great passing, and drew fouls.
“Our midis – Ella Gould and Melissa Torpey worked extremely well with our forwards, Ava Bailey, Maggie Morrow and Olivia Meakim. We got multiple breakaways and started pressuring in their circle. Kyleigh Convey also had a great game tonight, providing a spark for us playing in several positions – wherever we needed her.
“Our goalies Tierney Hogan and Ash Conrad also did an amazing job. They work so hard in practice with our assistant coach Melanie Rowland. She threw everything at them this week to prepare for this Springfield game! We knew that they did a lot of lifts to goal, carried it on the endline and also had lots of small passing in the circle. So, Rowland worked on this with our forwards challenging our goalies. Our goalies are just so consistent back there and our defense really relies on them.”
Ash Conrad got the start today and made eight saves, while Tierney Hogan came in for the second and fourth quarter, making 10 saves.
Upper Moreland 0-0-1-0 1
Springfield Twp 2-0-1-1 4
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